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CARRIE JOHNSONA funeral home owner and a long-time teacher and coach hope to unseat the City Council's District 3 incumbent.
ST. PETERSBURG - On Tuesday, voters will eliminate one of the three men vying for the District 3 City Council seat.
Local funeral home owner John McQueen and high school teacher Bill Dudley are trying to unseat incumbent Bill Foster, a lawyer. They are the only candidates facing Tuesday's primary because District 3 is the only City Council race that drew more than two candidates.
Only voters in the district, which includes most of the northeastern portion of the city, participate in Tuesday's primary. The two candidates who get the most votes go on to a citywide race. The general election is Nov. 4.
The three candidates share many views: They are fiscally conservative and support keeping Albert Whitted as an airport.
But there are also many differences among the men.
Foster, 40, emphasizes his political experience. He was appointed in 1998 to complete the term of Connie Kone, who resigned to run for state Senate, and he ran unopposed during his most recent City Council election in 1999.
Foster said the city has made great strides during his five years in office, helping to launch the revitalization of downtown. But he said there is still more to do, especially in Midtown, where economic development is just gaining traction.
Foster said he is especially proud of the $33-million in stormwater infrastructure improvements he helped secure for his constituents. Foster was also a leader in helping the city to buy Sunken Gardens and restore the historic attraction.
McQueen, 39, is the chief operations officer for Anderson-McQueen Funeral Homes. Economic development is one of his top goals as a City Council candidate and, if elected, he plans to promote growth throughout the city, especially in the downtown, Tyrone and Midtown areas.
McQueen also stresses his plans to enhance neighborhoods by promoting redevelopment and improving infrastructure.
He has accused Foster of allowing his personal morals to cloud his political responsibility. Foster voted against moving the sale of alcohol to 11 a.m. from 1 p.m., a popular proposal in District 3.
Foster denied this charge and said he has always been an advocate for his constituents in City Hall.
McQueen has been active in several campaigns, including those for Attorney General Charlie Crist and Rep. Frank Farkas of St. Petersburg. His brother was treasurer for Mayor Rick Baker during the last mayoral election.
The third candidate, Bill Dudley, 59, has spent the last three decades coaching and teaching students at Northeast High School. He describes himself as a closet politician and has always planned to run for City Council after his retirement, which is scheduled for October.
Dudley's main emphasis is public safety. He said the city needs to hire more police officers to keep its citizens safe.
Dudley also said there is a lack of leadership in City Hall. He said his years as a teacher put him more in tune with the needs of ordinary people and will bring a common touch to city politics.
- Carrie Johnson can be reached at 727 892-2273 or cjohnson@sptimes.com